Garment hanger



July 28, 1936, TROMP 2,048,899

GARMENT HANGER Filed April 18, 1935 Patented July 28, 1936 UNETED STATES PATENT Application April 18,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a garment hanger, and more particularly to a hanger provided with clamping arms for securely holding a dress or other garment in position thereon.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide an improved garment hanger having clamping arms which can be easily and positively moved into the open position andlikewise into the closed position by a single and slight pressure of the fingers, and which will be held securely in either of such positions until it is again actuated and moved into the opposite position.

Another object is to provide such a hanger wherein only a single operating member is required, with which both clamping arms are moved positively into either the open or the closed position and whereby they are firmly held in such position; thus providing a simple and inexpensive device which can be readily operated by engaging and moving said single operating member.

These and various other objects and advantages .are attained with this invention as will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein this invention is shown in its preferred form, it being understood that various other arrangements and forms of construction may be resorted to for carrying out the objects and purposes of this invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing a garment hanger embodying my invention in its preferred form of construction, showing the clamping arms in the closed position.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of this invention, showing the arms and operating means in the open position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the device.

Fig. 4 is a substantially horizontal sectional View, taken on lines 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views, taken respectively on lines 55 and 6-6 of Fig. 3.

In the drawing I have illustrated my invention in its preferred form of construction, comprising a pair of clamping arms l0 which are oppositely disposed upon a supporting bar l I, the bar being provided with the usual supporting hook l2 at its middle portion.

For the sake of economy, each arm is preferably made of a strip of sheet metal, which is arched or curved to conform to the rounded top face of the bar, and also has its outer end l0 turned upwardly, as indicated in the drawing. A collar i4 is provided on the inner end of the arm, being 1935, Serial No. 16,951 (Cl. 223-93) preferably integral therewith and formed from depending strips M on the arm which are secured together at the bottom. Said collar surrounds the bar ll and permits vertical swinging of the arm thereon.

The means for operating the pair of arms is preferably in the form of a-flexible member or strip I5, which consists of a leaf spring. Adjacent its two end portions the spring is firmly secured to the bottom parts I 4' onthe two collars, so that by moving or flexing of this member the pair of clamping arms iii are positively moved or swung into the open position and into the closed position.

Means is provided for retaining the spring" and the arms in position on thebar, and this means is preferably in the form. of a pair of abutment members H, which, for the sake of economy, are

provided in the shape of thin sheet metal yokes which are secured on the bar by means of rive s 18, so that the lower or bight part H of the yoke remains sea-ted against the lower face of the bar. A' curled flange or lip I9 is provided on the in ard edge of said bight part, preferably by forming a projecting flange or lip thereon which is rolled upwardly, as indicated in the drawing.

The two ends '29 of the spring or operating member I5 are bent slightly upwardly, and the curled lip 19 of each abutment member; l! rests in the groove or channel'forined between the bent-up end 20 and the lower end portion M of collar M, as best shown in Fig. 3. With this arrangement the two bent-up ends 20 of the spring ride or bearslidably upon the two curled lips IS on yokes l1, so that the spring is normally retained arched or bowed and under tension, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and whenever the spring is being operated these bent ends yield and deflect, due to their pressure against the curled lips l9. and permit the spring to straighten and change from one position to the other. A covering 2! of soft or pliable material is preferably also placed around the spring.

With this arrangement the spring is normally held bowed and flexed and therefore retained firmly in position, thereby also firmly holding the pair of arms in either the closed position as the open position as shown in Fig. 2. The device is readily operated by a slight upward pressure of the fingers upon the operating spring l5 to move it and the arms from the open position to the closed position; and likewise, by a slight finger pressure the spring can be drawn downward to move it and the arms from the closed position to the open position.

This arrangement and construction includes a minimum of parts thereby providing an inexpensive device, and is very easily operated by a slight pressure of the fingers. The arms are also positively moved by the movement of the operating spring, and they are furthermore held firmly in the closed position to hold the garment upon the bar, and are similarly held firmly in the open position so that a garment can be readily placed thereon.

I claim:

1. A garment hanger comprising a supporting bar, a pair of clamping arms and means associated.

therewith for movably mounting them upon said bar, an oblong flexible member which has its end portions connected with said means,

said member to hold it flexed in either the open position or in the closed position, so as to. move.

said arms positively into either the open position or the closed position bythe flexing of said t em her, through an application of force in a single direction, and to hold the arms firmly in position. 2. A garment hanger comprising'a supporting bar, a pair of clamping arms-"upon said bar each having means thereon extending downward along the bar for mountingthe arms movably thereupon, an operating member beneath the bar having its end portions firmly secured to said means for moving them together, and means on the bar for retaining said member and arms securely in either the open position or in the closed position thereon, whereby to, positively move both of said arms into either one of said positions by the application of force in a single direction. 7 J

3. A garment hanger comprising a supporting bar, a pair of clamping arms upon said bar each having a collar fixed thereon surrounding the bar for mounting the arms movably thereon, a flexible strip having its end portions secured to said collars, and abutment means on said bar engaged by said collars and said strip, whereby the arms and collars aremovable along with the movement of said flexible member into their open position and into their closed position bya slight pressure of the fingers upon said member.

4. A garmenthanger comprising a supporting bar, a pair, of clamping arms positioned upon and abutment means on the bar engaging the end parts of said bar each having a collar thereon surrounding the bar, a flexible strip adjacent the ends of which said collars are secured so that the collars and arms are positively moved therewith and held thereby in either the open position or the closed 5 leaf spring havingbent ends, means for securing the pair of arms to the spring adjacent said ends so that the arms move along therewith into the 15 open position and into the closed position, and means on thebar including curled lips against which the ends of the spring slidably bear, to retain it bowed and under stress and thereby hold said arms in position, said ends being slidable on 20 said curled lips to enable convenient operating 'ofthe spring and thereby the arms by a slight pressure of the fingers.

6. A garment hangercomprising a supporting bar, a pair of arms upon said bar, each having an 25 integral collar thereon surrounding the bar, a leaf spring having bent-up ends, said collars being secured to the spring adjacentsaid ends, and thin sheet metalmeans secured on said bar including curled lips against which the bentfends 3 of said spring bear flexibly, thereby retaining the spring bowed and under stress to firmly hold thear ms in either the open position or theclosed position, and to enableeasy operation thereof.

'7. A'garmenthanger comprising a supporting E bar, a pair of arms upon said bar, each arm having an integral collar movably surrounding the bar, a flexible member having bent elements at the two opposite ends, the pair of collars being secured to the member adjacent said ends to move the arms thereby to the open position and to the closed position, and abutment means on said bar including lips against which said bent elements bear,,thereby retaining said member flexed and stressed to firmly hold the arms in either the open position or in the closed position, to enable operating the same by a slight finger pressure.

KARL R. TROMP. 

